The Orange Enigma
by Nao Shizuma
Summary: Shikamaru is confused about what he feels for a certain bright-orange ninja friend of his. Naruto feels the same exact way. Shikamaru decides to look at the situation as a puzzle. What happens when they both try to solve it? And, can they find happiness?
1. Closer to the Warmth

_Words in italic are thoughts._

**_Words in bold and italic are Kyuubi's thoughts_ **

--

Shikamaru was watching the clouds. It was peaceful and oddly quiet in Konoha for once. Shikamaru contemplated this for a moment and decided he preferred the quiet, it was easier to sleep. He felt himself slowly drifting off, a state of complete relaxation coming over him. Suddenly he heard a loud popping noise, as though something had exploded coming from somewhere near the bottom of his hill. "HEY SHIKAMARU WHAT'S UP?!" Shikamaru groaned and rolled over onto his other side, the one facing away from the other ninja while he happily trudged up to the top of the hill. _The idiot, why does he have to just pop up like that? Even better, why does he have to wear such bright orange?_

"Come ON, you're not too lazy to answer, are you? SHIKAMARU! ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?!" Shikamaru politely nodded, barely moving his head but he was sure Naruto would have noticed it anyway. And if he hadn't, who was he to care? _Go away can't you see I'm busy? _It was troublesome to actually speak. Shikamaru sighed instead of voicing his thoughts.

"HOW CAN YOU BE SO LAZY ON A DAY LIKE THIS?" By now the other ninja was standing over Shikamaru, his hands on his hips. Shikamaru sighed again and just closed his eyes, wishing the noise would go away. He thought dryly, being Naruto he would never go away if it wasn't for ramen. For some reason Naruto just wouldn't leave him alone, no matter how much Shikamaru ignored him. _Or tried to_ Shikamaru's inner voice pointed out. _Shut up, I try my best_ Shikamaru told the voice. He remembered the first time he had met Naruto, on a day so different from this. It was cold and rainy and Shikamaru had spent the entire day napping in one of his favorite trees. Shikamaru was only seven but he was a genius, even then. He had been contemplating how troublesome it was to actually bother to win at Shogi, regardless of the fact that he could win with barely a thought to what he was actually doing. He remembered hearing a noise and almost fell out of the tree when he saw a bright orange figure streak past him in the air, sobbing. The orange-clad boy landed on one of the branches of an adjacent tree. He appeared to have noticed Shikamaru after a while and Shikamaru, being at loss for what to do for once, stared back at the other boy. He remembered the other boy starting to sob even more and mumble something which may have been an apology. Shikamaru had jumped over to the other tree and just sat next to the boy until the other had left. Shikamaru remembered so well. Shikamaru's thoughts snapped back to the present when Naruto shifted and an odd look crossed his face.

--

_Shikamaru just looked so…__**good**_? A familiar voice suggested at the back of his head. Naruto wished that Kyuubi would shut up and let him finish his sentences himself for once. His thoughts slowly drifted back to Shikamaru lying on the ground in front of him and he felt the beginnings of a blush steal across his face. _**Look at him just lying there; he looks so … delicious … doesn't he?**_ Naruto felt his blush deepen and his throat felt dry. Shikamaru looked so deep in thought or perhaps the lack of it that Naruto almost felt guilty for bothering him. Suddenly he noticed that Shikamaru was staring at him, quite openly, and he blushed even more.

--

_What is up with him?_ Shikamaru watched the blush deepen on Naruto's face. He decided that unless one of them broke the silence now it would probably become awkward to speak later. How troublesome. "Naruto, did you eat some bad ramen?"

--

Naruto almost jumped at the sound of Shikamaru's voice. "N-n-o, I was j-j—ust …uh... thinking" he stuttered. _He probably thinks I'm even more of an idiot now! Why do I always have to mess things up?_ _**Because you are an idiot.**_ Naruto groaned. Shikamaru just kept on looking at him and Naruto felt even more awkward. He even forgot why he had wanted to find Shikamaru in the first place. Something about Tsunade baa-chan? "Shika-Shikamaru, can I look at the clouds with you?" The hag could wait he decided.

--

Shikamaru felt surprised, why would Naruto want to look at the clouds? With him? Hopefully he wasn't going to pull a prank on Shikamaru or something troublesome like that. Regardless, he nodded and noted the look of relief that was now washing over Naruto's face mixed with some joy and something else. He felt, rather than heard, Naruto drop down onto the ground next to him causing a slight tremor go through the ground. He frowned, noticing that the other boy was lying close to him, very close indeed. _So close, if I reach out I could touch him…WHY WOULD I EVEN THINK OF DOING THAT?!_ Shikamaru sighed again and tried to settle his thoughts by looking up at the clouds. That one there looked like a kunai, that one like a pig, that one like…Naruto? Shikamaru shifted his position a bit, uncomfortable yet again at the thought of Naruto._ Why does being around him make me feel like this?_ His movements had actually moved him closer to the blond he noticed with some shock at the thought of being even closer. A snore brought him out of his musings and he realized that the other boy had fallen asleep, perhaps even a while ago. He noted the fact that the sun had moved considerably from where it was when Naruto first appeared. Soon it would grow dark and the ground would get cold._ But until then, I can nap._ Shikamaru closed his eyes, the quiet washing in waves over him and fell into a peaceful slumber.

--

Naruto felt something warm brush against his leg and he moved closer, holding on to the warmth. It was so nice to sleep, he hadn't slept like this in a while…


	2. One and Only Fantabulous Orange Ninja!

**The Orange Enigma Chapter Two! The One and Only Fantabulous Orange Ninja!**

_Words in italic are thoughts._

_**Words in bold and italic are Kyuubi's thoughts **_

ShikaNaru yaoi action eventually! Don't like don't read! Remember, reviews will only make me write faster! I want to make their relationship build up and to mean something more than just plain sex so shoot me if you want! IT SHALL NOT STOP ME!! Mwahahaha

--

Shikamaru felt pleasantly warm and he couldn't help but move closer to the warmth. So close in fact that he felt warm breath brush gently across his face. Shikamaru groggily opened his eyes and realized that he was in someone's arms. He opened his eyes further and the haze of sleep cleared enough for him to focus on a pair of whisker-like marks seemingly floating above him. _Naruto? NARUTO? I'm IN NARUTO'S ARMS?! He let me sleep like that next to him? What the hell, why was I hugging him back? Oh god there's no way. No way. _ Like a true ninja, Shikamaru immediately rolled out of the other boys embrace and sprang up, ready to fight with some drawn kunai already in his hands. He relaxed upon realizing that Naruto was still asleep. _He looks so peaceful sleeping like that. He almost looks like a child, so little and defenseless. Why am I thinking such things? Why?_ He sighed and put the kunai back into his pockets and sat down a few feet away from Naruto.

_Why?_ It was all that Shikamaru could think. Why had Naruto let him sleep like that next to him? Did Naruto not realize? _The idiot. He has no idea what position we were in. But he was so warm, so warm…NO. I won't think of that. There is no way_. Shikamaru sighed softly, thinking of a certain pink-haired girl who had captured Naruto's heart. _Not me. No wait, what did I just think? Why the hell do I keep thinking like this?!_ Shikamaru shook his head and tried to clear his thoughts. _Not working. How about …pleasant things such as clouds._ Yes clouds. Or perhaps grass. The blade of grass that brushed Naruto's cheek ever so gently. The blade of grass that traced his whisker-marks. The blades of grass that softly stroked Naruto's tan neck. _NO. I must not think like this. There is no way. He has Sakura. It could never be, I'm a boy and he's a boy. No, it just can't be…_Shikamaru sighed again and decided to watch Naruto sleep in the hope that it might relax him. Somehow Naruto hadn't stirred even once from the time that Shikamaru had leaped out of his embrace and during the time that Shikamaru was having a mental conversation with himself. The orange idiot still hadn't even shifted his position. Naruto's arms were still in the pressed down grass where Shikamaru had been. Shikamaru sighed yet again, wishing he was still there. _But no, I'm a boy and he's a boy. I'm not feeling this way, I'm NOT_. He watched as Naruto's nose twitched slightly, perhaps at the smell of ramen that was wafting up at the hill from the stand. The wind had changed, Shikamaru noted without giving it much thought. _How long was I asleep? What time is it now?_ Naruto looked like he was having a good dream. Shikamaru wished desperately that Naruto's embrace had meant something; he wished that he could crawl back into those warm arms. He knew though that it couldn't be. What were his feelings for the loud, obnoxious boy anyway? Was he…in love? If _only life was like a game of Shogi, with enough thinking it could be figured out and won. If only. Perhaps, perhaps Naruto is like a puzzle? And I am the one to solve it? Maybe,_ his breath caught in his throat, _maybe I can win his love? _He decided that being so close to the blond was definitely not good for him; look at what it had made him think already.Suddenly he was thrust from his thoughts when he realized that the object of his musings was stirring. He watched as Naruto stretched his arms high above his head._ The arms that had held me so tightly._ He watched as Naruto opened his mouth to yawn and as his eyes lazily drifted open to lay on Shikamaru. Shikamaru gazed back into those deep blue eyes, like endless pools and let himself hope that maybe the embrace had meant something after all. _Maybe…_

--

Naruto smiled warmly. Shikamaru was staring at him so intently as though he was memorizing his features. Shikamaru just looked so concentrated that Naruto let him stare at him like that for a while. In fact, he even took the opportunity to stare right back at Shikamaru, at his dark chocolate eyes, at the thin lips that looked so soft.** Drinking it all in, eh?** _WHAT?! Not like THAT!! __**Oh really? **__Wait, what EXACTLY ARE YOU IMPLYING KYUUBI?!_ _**Kit, you are so clueless. The way you look at him… **_Naruto's internal argument was interrupted by Shikamaru suddenly standing up and looking away.

"Huh? Shikamaru what's up?" He watched as Shikamaru slowly turned his head to look at him and noticed the faint blush. _**See what I meant? He thinks of you too…**_ Naruto blushed himself and suddenly remembered something and frowned before exploding. "OH GOD SHIKAMARU! THE HAG WILL KILL ME!! TSUNADE BAA-CHAN HAD WANTED TO SEE YOU ABOUT SOMETHING!! OH GOD, I AM SO DEAD THIS TIME!" Shikamaru looked at him blankly at first and then broke into a grin. "You forgot to tell me that? You didn't even remember before we feel asleep?" Naruto blushed darker and stopped his panicking. "I-I-I figured it could wait…a little."

--

Shikamaru openly smirked at Naruto before jumping on him. _You did know what happened. _"You idiot. Next time tell me," Shikamaru told him smirking before getting off of Naruto and grabbing his wrist and pulling him up so the slightly taller blond was standing next to him. "Well, what are you waiting for? Aren't we going to see the Hokage?" _YES!! He did know!! _Inner Shikamaru was practically doing back flips at the thought but of course he wasn't really because Shikamaru just couldn't be bothered. Shikamaru glanced at Naruto before letting go of his wrist to see a very, very visible blush spread across Naruto's face. "Naruto, anything you wanna say?" Shikamaru noted how he had actually been bothered to talk to Naruto more than he usually talked to anyone. Naruto blushed even more if possible and started to say something when suddenly POP! Sakura appeared standing in front of the two, very, VERY mad. Shikamaru mentally jumped back startled. Naruto really did jump back unfortunately causing both himself and Shikamaru to fall in a heap at the raging Sakura's feet. Before they could pick themselves up the pink-haired girl exploded. "YOU FREAKS! THE HOKAGE HAD ME LOOKING EVERYWHERE FOR YOU TWO! WHAT THE HELL TOOK YOU SO LONG NARUTO?! AND YOU, SHIKAMARU!! IF THE HOKAGE HERSELF CALLS FOR YOU, YOU SHOULD BE BOTHERED ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY GO!! AARGH I WASTED MY ENTIRE DAY LOOKING FOR YOU GUYS WHEN I COULD HAVE BEEN TRAINING WITH SASUKE!"Naruto visibly took a couple of steps back at this possibly violent outburst, Shikamaru only raised one eyebrow."WHAT ARE YOU DOING STILL STANDING HERE!! GO NOW!!" Sakura, seething, raised her fist and punched Naruto square in the face. Shikamaru watched as his friend's mouth dropped open in surprise from the blow before Naruto suddenly grabbed his wrist _Naruto's actually touching me and he's awake_ and practically dragged Shikamaru from his spot away from Sakura and into Konoha. He noted the red fist print on Naruto's face showing over the still present blush and let himself be dragged by Konoha's number one hyperactive orange ninja.

--

They had reached the Hokage's office in record time thanks to his vigorous pulling while Shikamaru had let himself be dragged so ungraciously toward Tsunade baa-chan. Naruto hoped that she would be drunk enough to not notice how late they were. _**Kit, you're a whole day late. I don't think she can get any madder. **__That's not a consolation!_ Naruto slowed down in front of the huge doors and finally came to a complete stop, his hand still around Shikamaru's wrist. He blushed a bit at this and uncomfortable, looked down at the ground. _He slept so well next to me and I had held him so close I wouldn't be surprised if he ignored me the rest of my life. He must know that I had hugged him; he was acting so weird when I woke up. I hope I didn't hurt his feelings or something stupid like that. __**You humans and your feelings. How can a hug hurt? **_"Hey, Naruto," Naruto looked up at Shikamaru's face. "Yes, Shikamaru?" "Call me Shika. We should go in." Naruto relaxed. "Alright. Well, Shika, remember me as the One and Only Fantabulous Orange Ninja because after we face the hag I don't think there will be much of me left!" "Alright…Naru." Naruto felt his blush deepen and reach his ears at the pet name._ Does he really mean what I think he does? I didn't think this could ever happen, I'm a boy and he's a boy…HELL THIS IS HAPPENING GET A GRIP AND BE HAPPY!_ Naruto flashed the ninja a bright grin and replied "You got it! Now let's go and face the stupid hag!"

--

Shikamaru smiled a genuine smile. Naruto understood. Naruto was about to open the door and before his hand reached the door Shikamaru reached out and caught Naruto in a hug. "Naru…" he whispered, blushing himself. He felt Naruto stiffen at first and then relax in his grip. "Shika…"


	3. To Naruto's Apartment

**The Orange Enigma, Chapter Three!**

A Possible Solution to the Unsolvable Naruto!

_Words in italic are thoughts._

_**Words in bold and italic are Kyuubi's thoughts.**_

--

"AND LET THAT BE A WARNING TO YOU IMMATURE BRATS! NEVER BE LATE AGAIN!" Shizune stepped into the office, careful to not draw the drunken Hokage's eye.

Over time she had developed a certain level of immunity to Tsunade, although she was always wary of her. Especially when she was drunk. She watched as her teacher took yet another swig from her sake, only pausing to glare at Naruto and Shikamaru for the hundredth time.

"But-but obaa-san! We caaaaaaame!" Naruto whined. Shizune sighed. That kid never learned. Tonton wriggled a bit in her arms. "Shh Tonton." Shikamaru was pretty motionless, just staring ahead at some spot about a foot above Tsunade's head.

Shizune secretly enjoyed watching the Hokage berate others, it was really funny! Especially when it was Naruto as they always had the most animated discussions! She giggled a bit as a memory of their former meeting came into mind. Tonton squirmed as her arms tightened momentarily. "Sorry Tonton!"

"Shizuuune? You're hew aready?" Tsunade slurred. At least now she seemed to have calmed down a bit. "Hai Tsunade-sensei!" Tsunade slumped forward onto her desk. "I need more sake, this isn't strong enough. And do something about the brats. Their presence is annoying."

"WHAT?!!!!!!!! YOU OLD HAG! I'M NOT A BRAT!" Naruto practically screeched. The Nara standing right next to him jumped slightly; apparently he had been asleep with his eyes open! Shizune giggled again before rushing at the brats. Sometimes her job was so much fun!

"Wha?" Naruto collided with Shikamaru as Shizune pushed them not so gently out of the office. Within seconds, thanks to the full impact collision, both were on the floor of the hallway, looking up at the cheery Shizune.

Shikamaru rubbed his head. He could feel a bump already starting to form. Shizune gave them a creepy grin before stalking off in the direction of the kitchens. Even the pig had seemed to smirk at them.

He closed his eyes; the floor wasn't too bad a place to sleep. He'd slept in worse circumstances on missions before anyways. "Shika! Shika!" "Eh?" Shikamaru opened his eyes slightly, just enough to see Naruto's angelic face hovering above him. "You can't sleep here!" "Why not?" " You'll get stepped on!" Shikamaru was amused to see that Naruto didn't add the 'duh' that he had seen coming. He bothered smirking before letting his eyelids flutter shut.

"Ugh. Fine, be that way!" Shikamaru knew that at that moment, Naruto was probably pouting with those cute soft lips of his_. Cute? I'm surprising myself with this. They do look cute though. And soft…_ He felt himself drift off to sleep.

--

_The idiot, falling asleep on me like that! He's the one that's 'troublesome'! __**Well that's love for you, Kit**__. Nah shut it Fox__**! Never**__._ Naruto growled inside his own head. That stupid fox was so irritating.

He had to think of something, and fast too before Shizune came back or Tsunade came out of her office. He couldn't just leave his crush lying there, just waiting to be stepped on or rudely woken up or perhaps even to become a victim of a Jounin prank!

Gently, he picked up the Nara, thanking the heavens that Shikamaru wasn't all that heavy. He managed to balance Shikamaru so that he was lying partly across his shoulder and the rest of him was in Naruto's arms.

It was a bit difficult, opening some of the doors leading out of the Hokage building without the use of his arms but he managed. Now for where to go… They couldn't go to the park as it looked as if was about to rain. And hard too, if Naruto's instincts were right.

Naruto sighed. There was no way he was going to go all the way to the Nara residence. It was on the other side of the village and his chances of getting there while carrying Shikamaru, no matter how light he was, before the rain started were pretty slim. And anyways, Nara Yoshino was one scary lady. Even Kyuubi was wary of her and that was saying something!

Naruto understood quite easily why Shikamaru would say that women were troublesome, never mind the fact that he was apparently attracted to men. With a mother like that, who wouldn't think women were troublesome?

He shook his head; he had to figure out a place to go. If he took Shika took his own apartment then at the very least they would be dry. Sadly though, the landlord had turned off his electricity, water, and heating because of a recent argument they had had over the rent. _**It's still dry.**_ Well, the fox was right there. And it was relatively close too.

He jumped up to the nearest rooftop; going through the streets would be too difficult for him as the majority of the villagers hated him. Some of them might even try to attack Shikamaru just because he was seen with Naruto! He could never let that happen. No one deserved to be treated like he was, no one, and especially not Shikamaru.

--

(A/N Time skip!!! This is when they just got to the apartment and are standing outside)


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